Jeremiah Dummer (silversmith)
Encyclopedia
Jeremiah Dummer was the first American-born silversmith
, whose works are today highly valued.
, the first son of Richard Dummer
and his second wife, Frances Burr.
At the age of 14, he was apprenticed to John Hull
, the mintmaster at Boston. Hull recorded at the time that he "received into my house Jeremie Dummer ... to serve me as Apprentice eight years". When he was 23 he started on his own and became a prolific and notable silversmith making tankard
s, beaker
s, porringer
s, caudle cups
and candlestick
s. The fluted band on a plain surface is characteristic of his work. He is said to have introduced the ornamentation known as "gadrooning
", curved flutings on the surface of silver.
He held many public offices, and was a Member and Captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Society in 1671 and Constable of Boston in 1675–76. He was appointed Freeman of Boston in 1680, a member of Capt Hutchinson's Company in 1684, a member of the Council of Safety against Andres in 1689, a Selectman of Boston 1691–92, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Suffolk County 1702–15, Treasurer of Suffolk County 1711–16, and was a member in full communion at the venerable First Church.
He was also an engraver, and engraved plates for currency: in 1710 he printed the first paper money in Connecticut
. When the government of Connecticut decided in 1709 to issue paper currency, or Bills of Exchange, Dummer was selected to do the engraving of the plates and the printing of the bills. Journals of the Council for 1710 show transactions with Dummer relating to this currency, and in 1712 Governor Saltonstall laid before the Council Board Dummer's bill for printing 6,550 sheets of this paper currency. Dummer's former apprentice, John Coney
, had the distinction of engraving the plates for the first paper money issued by Massachusetts some years previously, the first issued on the American continent, although some sources also credit Dummer with the engraving of the Massachusetts copper plates.
Dummer was also one America's foremost early portrait painters. Among his paintings are a self-portrait and portrait of his wife, Anna, together with portraits of many of his contemporaries.
He died on 24 May 1718 in Boston. His obituary printed in the Boston News Letter on 2 June 1718 said:
Among his works in public museum collections:
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Yale University Art Gallery
Seattle Art Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Historic Deerfield
Winterthur Library
Bayou Bend Collection
In January 2005, several pieces of silver from the First Church of Christ, Farmington, Connecticut
came up for auction at Sotheby's
, New York. Top prices were achieved by a silver two-handled cup c. 1690 ($144,000), a silver two-handled cup c. 1675 ($168,000) and a silver two-handled cup, by John Hull and Robert Sanderson, overstruck by Jeremiah Dummer, c. 1670 which fetched the top price of $204,000.
In January 2007, a beaker from 1670 was auctioned at the New York auction house Christie's
, with an estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. The cup, which was given to The First Church in Salem
in 1684 by Francis Skerry, who ran a local malt house, realised $204,000, and was bought by an "anonymous collector".
His half-brother, Shubael
(1636–1692), founded the first Congregational church at York, Maine
in 1672 and was killed by Abenakis in the Candlemas Massacre
of 1692.
Silversmith
A silversmith is a craftsperson who makes objects from silver or gold. The terms 'silversmith' and 'goldsmith' are not synonyms as the techniques, training, history, and guilds are or were largely the same but the end product varies greatly as does the scale of objects created.Silversmithing is the...
, whose works are today highly valued.
Life
Dummer was born in Newbury, MassachusettsNewbury, Massachusetts
Newbury is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,666 at the 2010 census. Newbury includes the villages of Old Town , Plum Island and Byfield, home of The Governor's Academy , a private preparatory school.- History :Newbury Plantation was settled and incorporated...
, the first son of Richard Dummer
Richard Dummer
Richard Dummer was an early settler in New England who has been described as "one of the fathers of Massachusetts"....
and his second wife, Frances Burr.
At the age of 14, he was apprenticed to John Hull
John Hull (merchant)
John Hull was the leading merchant and mintmaster of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He married Judith Quincy , daughter of Judith Pares John Hull (18 December 1624 – 1 October 1683) was the leading merchant and mintmaster of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He married Judith Quincy (1626–1695),...
, the mintmaster at Boston. Hull recorded at the time that he "received into my house Jeremie Dummer ... to serve me as Apprentice eight years". When he was 23 he started on his own and became a prolific and notable silversmith making tankard
Tankard
A tankard is a form of drinkware consisting of a large, roughly cylindrical, drinking cup with a single handle. Tankards are usually made of silver, pewter, or glass, but can be made of other materials, for example wood, ceramic or leather. A tankard may have a hinged lid, and tankards featuring...
s, beaker
Beaker (drinkware)
A beaker is a beverage container, and a term used in parts of the UK. A beaker is typically a non-disposable plastic or ceramic cup or mug without a handle, much like a laboratory beaker....
s, porringer
Porringer
A porringer is a small dish from which Europeans and colonial Americans ate their gruel or porridge, or other soft foods.Porringers were shallow bowls, between 4" to 6" in diameter, and 1½" to 3" deep; the form originates in the medieval period in Europe and they were made in wood, ceramic, pewter...
s, caudle cups
Caudle
A caudle is a British thickened and sweetened alcoholic hot drink, somewhat like eggnog. It was popular in the Middle Ages for its supposed medicinal properties.The OED cites the use of the word to 1297...
and candlestick
Candlestick
A candlestick, chamberstick, or candelabrum is a holder for one or more candles, used for illumination, rituals, or decorative purposes. The name 'candlestick' derives from the fact that it is usually tall and stick-shaped.Candlesticks are also called candle holders...
s. The fluted band on a plain surface is characteristic of his work. He is said to have introduced the ornamentation known as "gadrooning
Gadrooning
Gadrooning is any decorative motif consisting of convex curves in a series. In furniture and other interior accessories, the term is applied to, among other things an ornamental carved band of tapered, curving and alternating concave and convex sections, usually diverging obliquely either side of a...
", curved flutings on the surface of silver.
He held many public offices, and was a Member and Captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Society in 1671 and Constable of Boston in 1675–76. He was appointed Freeman of Boston in 1680, a member of Capt Hutchinson's Company in 1684, a member of the Council of Safety against Andres in 1689, a Selectman of Boston 1691–92, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Suffolk County 1702–15, Treasurer of Suffolk County 1711–16, and was a member in full communion at the venerable First Church.
He was also an engraver, and engraved plates for currency: in 1710 he printed the first paper money in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. When the government of Connecticut decided in 1709 to issue paper currency, or Bills of Exchange, Dummer was selected to do the engraving of the plates and the printing of the bills. Journals of the Council for 1710 show transactions with Dummer relating to this currency, and in 1712 Governor Saltonstall laid before the Council Board Dummer's bill for printing 6,550 sheets of this paper currency. Dummer's former apprentice, John Coney
John Coney (silversmith)
John Coney was an early American silversmith and goldsmith from Boston, Massachusetts. He specialised in engraving. From the 1690s on, Coney was considered the most important Bostonian silversmith of his day...
, had the distinction of engraving the plates for the first paper money issued by Massachusetts some years previously, the first issued on the American continent, although some sources also credit Dummer with the engraving of the Massachusetts copper plates.
Dummer was also one America's foremost early portrait painters. Among his paintings are a self-portrait and portrait of his wife, Anna, together with portraits of many of his contemporaries.
He died on 24 May 1718 in Boston. His obituary printed in the Boston News Letter on 2 June 1718 said:
Departed this life Jeremiah Dummer, Esqr., in the 73rd year of his Age, after a long retirement ... having served his country faithfully in several Publick Stations, and obtained of all that knew him the Character of a Just, Virtuous, and Pious Man;
Apprentices
His apprentices included:- John Coney (brother-in-law) (c. 1668)
- Eleazer Russell (c. 1677)
- Edward Winslow (c. 1682)
- Kiliaen Van Rensselaer (1683)
- John Edwards (c. 1684)
- John Allen (1685)
- John Noyes (c. 1687)
- William Cowell (c. 1695)
- Daniel Gookin (1696–1704)
- Shubael Dummer (nephew) (c. 1699)
Works
He was a prolific craftsman and over one hundred pieces listed as made by him have been preserved. Dummer's silverwork mark is "ID enclosed over a fleur-de-lis in a heart or occasionally ID in a rectangle".Among his works in public museum collections:
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
- Porringer, c. 1665–1670. Engraved "NG" for Nabby (Abigail) Gardiner and "B over E M" for Ebenezer and Mary [Turner] Bowditch. The handle design is believed to be unique in American silver.
- Caudle cup, c. 1680. The only floral decorated caudle cup by Dummer.
- Spout cup, c. 1680. Engraved "SCE" around center point on bottom; "1680" on side. Made for Stephen Codman and Elizabeth Randall, m 1674. One of only two Spout cups by Dummer.
- Spout cup, c. 1680–1700. Engraved "H over D E" for Daniel and Elizabeth (Garrish) Henchman. It is the only known example of a two-handled spout cup by an American silversmith.
- Standing salt, 1690–1700. One of only three American silver standing salts known to survive — a good example of the early Baroque style.
- Baptismal Bowl, 1695. The property of the First Parish, Cambridge. The bowl was made and presented to Brattle in 1695 by his Harvard students, as the original inscription "Ex dono Pupillorum" indicates. The Brattle coat of arms is engraved on the rim. The bowl bears Dummer's mark, a heart-shaped device within which are his initials, with a small pellet between the initial, and a fleur-de-lis. It was made for domestic use.
- Communion cup, c. 1700. Engraved "gifft / of / E B" for Edward Brattle, brother of Thomas BrattleThomas BrattleThomas Brattle was a well-educated and prosperous Boston merchant who served as treasurer of Harvard College, and was a member of the intellectually elite Royal Society....
, one of the founders of the Brattle Street ChurchBrattle Street ChurchThe Brattle Street Church was a Congregational and Unitarian church on Brattle Street in Boston, Massachusetts.- Brief history :...
for whom the cup was made. - Communion cup, 1700. Engraved "Ex dono / Mr. Joshua & / Mrs. Hannah / Bangs / To The Church of Eastham / 1700". This is the earliest example in this form.
Yale University Art Gallery
Yale University Art Gallery
The Yale University Art Gallery houses a significant and encyclopedic collection of art in several buildings on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Although it embraces all cultures and periods, the Gallery possesses especially renowned collections of early Italian painting,...
- Pair of candlesticks, c. 1686. The coat of arms of Col. Peter Lidgett, a rich merchant, are on the base. These are the earliest surviving American-made silver candlesticks known. These candlesticks are the property of Yale University Art Gallery and were included in a temporary exhibition "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of HappinessLife, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is a well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence and considered by some as part of one of the most well crafted, influential sentences in the history of the English language...
" at Seattle Art MuseumSeattle Art MuseumThe Seattle Art Museum is an art museum located in Seattle, Washington, USA. It maintains three major facilities: its main museum in downtown Seattle; the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill, and the Olympic Sculpture Park on the central Seattle waterfront, which opened on...
(February to May 2009) and the Birmingham Museum of ArtBirmingham Museum of ArtFounded in 1951, the Birmingham Museum of Art in Birmingham, Alabama today has one of the finest collections in the Southeast US, with more than 24,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and decorative arts representing a numerous diverse cultures, including Asian, European, American,...
(October 2009 to January 2010). - Beaker, c.1697. This beaker is one of twelve that was made by various silversmiths for the First Church of Ipswich and made with silver donated by Captain Simon Stacy, whose name is engraved on the side.
- Two-handled Bowl, ca. 1690–1700. The bowl in engraved with the initials "RPI" that probably stand for Richard and Jane Pattishall. This form is thought to be unique in American silver and was probably influenced by seventeenth-century Portuguese silver. Dummer had trade connections with Portugal and there were examples of Iberian silver in Boston at this time that may have served as sources for the design.
- Spoon, ca. 1685–1700. The spoon has an oval bowl with foliate stamped decoration and bears the initials "NRM" engraved on the back of the handle. The initials are for Rev. Noadiah and Mary RussellNoadiah Russell (Yale founder)The Reverend Noadiah Russell was a Congregationalist minster, one of the founders and trustees of Yale College, and one of the framers of the Saybrook Platform....
, who were wed in 1690.
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Art Museum
The Seattle Art Museum is an art museum located in Seattle, Washington, USA. It maintains three major facilities: its main museum in downtown Seattle; the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill, and the Olympic Sculpture Park on the central Seattle waterfront, which opened on...
- Tankard, 1685. Made for Simeon Stoddard's marriage to Mary Downing. With its large, three quart size and elaborate chinoiserie decoration, it is ranked among the finest extant pieces of early American silver, described as "extremely rare due to its size and unusual floral and bird design motifs".
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
- Tankard, 1696–1705. Handle engraved in Roman capitals:"B / IE". Maker's mark on lid and on body in Roman capitals: "ID" in a heart with a star below.
Historic Deerfield
Historic Deerfield
Historic Deerfield is an open-air living history museum dedicated to the heritage and preservation of Deerfield, Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley. Its historic houses, museums and programs provide visitors with an understanding of New England's historic villages and countryside...
- Caudle cup, c. 1690. Engraved on base "G" over "IA" for Joseph and Anna (Waldron) Gerrish.
Winterthur Library
- Tankard, c. 1693. Engraved "R" over "D S" for Daniel and Sarah (Appleton) Rogers.
Bayou Bend Collection
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, located in the River Oaks community in Houston, Texas, United States, is a facility of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston that houses a collection of decorative art, paintings and furniture. Bayou Bend is the former home of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg...
- Caudle cup, 1666–1672. An inscription reveals that a Margaret Thacher first owned the cup. In 1672 she gave the cup to the First ChurchFirst Parish Church of DorchesterThe First Parish Church in Dorchester, was built in 1631 by the emigrants from Dorchester, Dorset and the south west of England who founded the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts on March 30, 1630....
of Dorchester, MassachusettsDorchester, MassachusettsDorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
where it held communion wine.
Works at auction
From time to time, Dummer's work comes up for auction.In January 2005, several pieces of silver from the First Church of Christ, Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
came up for auction at Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
, New York. Top prices were achieved by a silver two-handled cup c. 1690 ($144,000), a silver two-handled cup c. 1675 ($168,000) and a silver two-handled cup, by John Hull and Robert Sanderson, overstruck by Jeremiah Dummer, c. 1670 which fetched the top price of $204,000.
In January 2007, a beaker from 1670 was auctioned at the New York auction house Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
, with an estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. The cup, which was given to The First Church in Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
in 1684 by Francis Skerry, who ran a local malt house, realised $204,000, and was bought by an "anonymous collector".
Family
In 1672, he was married in Boston to Anna Atwater, daughter of Joseph Atwater of Boston. They had eight children:- Samuel (1673–1737), became Sheriff of Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County, Massachusetts-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
1729–31 - Mary (1674–1691)
- Jeremiah (1675–1677)
- WilliamWilliam DummerWilliam Dummer was Acting Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1723 to 1728.-Family:Dummer was born in Boston and died in Newbury, Massachusetts, the son of Jeremiah Dummer, the first American born silversmith, and Anna Atwater...
(1677–1761), who became Governor of the Province of Massachusetts BayProvince of Massachusetts BayThe Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland... - Richard (1680–1689)
- JeremiahJeremiah DummerJeremiah Dummer was an important colonial figure for New England in the early 18th century. His most significant contributions to American history were his A Defense of the New England Charters and his role in the formation of Yale College.-Background and early life:Jeremiah Dummer's family...
(1681–1739), who was involved in the foundation of Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States... - Anna (1684–1764), married John Powell of Boston, merchant. She was the grandmother of William Dummer PowellWilliam Dummer PowellWilliam Dummer Powell was a Loyalist lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.-Early life and education:...
who became a judge and political figure in Upper CanadaUpper CanadaThe Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
. - Shubael (1692–1702)
His half-brother, Shubael
Shubael Dummer
Rev. Shubael Dummer was an American Congregational church minister who was killed in the Candlemas Massacre in York, Maine. Described as a man of "beautiful Christian character", Dummer founded the First Parish Congregational Church of York, the oldest church congregation in the U.S...
(1636–1692), founded the first Congregational church at York, Maine
York, Maine
York is a town in York County, Maine, United States at the southwest corner of the state. The population in the 2000 census was 12,854. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine, York is a well-known summer resort. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, three sandy beaches, and...
in 1672 and was killed by Abenakis in the Candlemas Massacre
Candlemas Massacre
The Candlemas Massacre took place in early 1692 during King William's War, when an estimated 150 Abenakis commanded by officers of New France entered the town of York , killing about 100 of the English settlers and burning down buildings, taking another estimated 80 villagers hostage,...
of 1692.